Tlie i)eopIe should take heed not to stop tlie minister's mouth : this they nuiy do, First, By admiring liis gifts, and apphiuding his person, especially when tliis is accompanied with unthankfulness to God who gives him ; when tliey applaud the man, but do not bless (iod for him. Princes have an evil eye upon tliose subjects that are over popular. God will not let his creatiu'e stand in his liglit, nor have his honour sutler by the reputation of his instrument: the mother is not pleased at seeing the child more fond of the nurse than of her- self. O. how foolish are we, who cannot love, but we nuist dote ; — cannot honour, but we must adore also ! To over-do, is tlie ready way to undo. Many fair mercies are lost either by too much or too little affection for the minister ; the abilities of one are magnified, in order to depreciate those of another ; — I am of Paul, and I of ApoUos ; thus the disciples advanced their preacher, to holdjLip a faction. Secondly, You may provoke God to withdraw his assistance, by expecting the benefit from nuui, and not from God; as if it were nothing but to take up your cloak and Bible, and you are sure to get good by such a one's ministry ; this is like those who said, ' We will go into such a city, and get gain,' as if it were no more to hear with profit, than to go to the tap, and draw wine. It is proper thou shouldst find the mmister straitened, and his abilities boimd up, because thou comest to him, as unto God, who is but a poor irtstnunent. O, say not unto him, Give me grace, give me comfort, as Rachel asked children of her husband; but go to thy God for these, in thy attendance on man. Thirdly, By rebelling against the light of truth that shines forth upon you in his ministry. God sometimes stops the minister's mouth, because the people shut their hearts ; Christ himself did not many mighty works (' he could not,' saith Mark,) in his own country, because of the people's unbelief. It is just God shoidd take away the ministry, or stop the minister's mouth, when they despise his counsel, and the word becomes a reproach to them. I am siu'e it is a sad damp to the minister's spirit that preacheth long to a gainsaying people, and no good omen to them. The mother's milk goes away sometimes before the child's death : God binds up the spirit of his messengers in judg- ment, Ezek. iii. 26 : 'I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover ; for they are a rebellious house.'
CHAPTER IV.
SHEWS WHAT A MYSTERY IS, AND IN WHAT RESPECTS THE GOSPEL IS SO,
The third branch in the words presents us with the end why he desires their prayers for utterance to be granted him, — ' That I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel ;' where there are three things.
Section I. — The gospel is a mystery. Some derive the Greek word fiv- CTTjpiov, from fivffio, to teach any secret belonging to religion; others from fivw, or fivZuj, to shut the mouth, because those that were initiated, or admitted to be present at the religious rites and mysteries of the heathens, (who were called HvcFTai,) might not reveal them to those that were afivaroi, or not initiated ; therefore they had an image before the temple, holding his finger iipon his mouth, to put them in mind, as they went in and out, of keeping secret what was done within. Indeed, the mysteries in their idolatrous worship were so impure and filthy, that nothing but secrecy could keep them from being ab- horred and detested by the more sober part of mankind. And it is not unworthy our notin"^'-, that the Spirit of (Jod should make choice of that word in the New Testament so often, to express the holy doctrine of truth and salvation con- tained in it, which were so vilely abused by those heathenish idolaters. Surely, it shews them to be over scrupulous, that judge it unlawful any way to make use of those names or things which have been abused by heathens or idolaters. But to return to the word 'mystery ;' it is generally applied to any secret, — natural, civil, or religious, which lies out of the road of vulgar understandings : in Scripture it is generally used for religious secrets ; and is taken both in an evil and good sense. First, In an evil sense, 2 Thess. ii. 7 : ' The mystery of iniquity doth already work ;' whereby is meant the secret rising of anti-chris- \ian dominion, whereof some foundations were laid in the apostles' days. Error
Y98 "1'^^^ MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL.